Snowbird kitchens and rental condos have a lot in common. They're often stocked just enough to get by, they get used hard for a few months at a time, and they tend to be missing the one thing you need when company comes over. A serving board is usually on that list.
Here's what our Florida boards are, what they're good for in a part-time kitchen, and how to keep one in shape. They're all in our Florida gifts collection.
What the board is
Every Florida board starts from the same blank: solid bamboo, 17 by 5.25 inches, cut in the silhouette of a wine bottle. The design is laser engraved into one face, so there's no ink or paint to wear off, and the engraving comes out in shades from brown to near black, so no two boards look exactly alike.
It's a long, narrow board, so it works best for serving and light slicing rather than heavy chopping:
- Cheese and crackers for sunset on the balcony
- Bread or a baguette, end to end
- Sliced fruit, a few pieces of grilled fish or a charcuterie spread
- A drinks tray, two glasses and a bottle to carry out to the pool deck
Why it suits a part-time kitchen
A snowbird condo or a rental kitchen usually has the basics and not much else. A board like this fills a gap without taking up much space. It's slim enough to stand upright in a cabinet or lean against the backsplash, and it looks good enough to leave out between uses.
For a condo owner who rents the place out, it's also an easy way to give a kitchen a little Florida personality without buying anything fragile.
Pick a design
The Florida wine bottle serving board comes in our Florida state designs, including Home Sweet Home, FL Initials, Florida Script and the vertical name designs that run FLORIDA down the length of the state.
If the condo is in a particular city, a skyline board is more specific. We make the same board with skylines from across Florida, including:
Each has the skyline with the city name engraved beneath it.
Care in a humid climate
Bamboo is hard wearing, but a humid kitchen and a board that sits unused for months call for a little care:
- Hand wash and towel dry. No dishwasher.
- Don't leave it soaking. Standing water is what warps a board.
- Oil it now and then with food safe mineral oil to keep the bamboo from drying out. It's a good thing to do when you open the condo for the season.
- Store it where air can reach both sides, standing upright rather than flat under something wet.
Pair it with coasters
A board and a set of coasters in the same design make a small, matched gift for a new condo. The Florida slate coaster set comes as a single coaster or a set of 4, 6 or 8, in slate with hand chiseled edges, round or square, and it carries the same Florida designs.
Made to order
Each board is engraved after you order and ships within 1 to 3 business days in a plain box, so wrap it yourself if it's a gift. Have it shipped to the condo address or wherever you'll be.
You'll find every Florida board, plus the coasters, ornaments and wall art, on the Florida collection page.
